41 thoughts on “paperback rider 3: the earnest librarian”

They can be, Frank. Usually they’re very helpful, unless you don’t return books or deface them. I never do that (really) although it’s surprising how many texts have underlines and highlighting, and even pages removed. Of course you can’t check everything in a large library.

reading this gave me giggles only because I saw myself as that pompous Millie! she is such a character, one of your best so far, I quite like her. coming back to this later, have to rush the books are getting impatient to be handled!

Your pictures are wonderful! ‘I may speak in bold occasionally’ is surreal as is much of your work. I love the humour of taking a packed lunch to the cafeteria. Also the offshoot of humanity frozen in a glacier is a masterly image. Thanks for this Steve.

My pleasure, Margaret. I interpret surrealism as “confusion.” At a break in a Buddhist event last year, someone showed me pictures of frogs on their phone. “Nice,” I said, and kept my thoughts to myself. Were the frogs special in some way? Did he show everyone pictures of frogs? Did he choose the pictures according to his audience, and he had deduced that I was a frog person? For me, surrealism is just life.

Oh, the poor protagonist… which additional job duties will Millie be heaping on him next?
It seems that in every universe, cats are not particularly obedient.
Next time I’m in the library, I’ll make sure to avoid the aisles of negative call numbers.

Such an ethereal orientation day for the new employee; makes all employee on-boarding experiences I’ve ever had seem so dull! I’d nod too, if I were the employee. What else is there to do but agree to a promised fascinating ride at the library?

Thanks, Annie. Have to admit I’ve been to some dull orientations, getting my contractor’s license with GMH ranks pretty highly in the boring list. But if I were going to advise the employee, I’d tell him to run, and not stop running until he was far away from the library.

Glad you enjoyed. I’ve noticed people fall into two classes as far as their instinctive reaction to instructions/requests (i.e. without thinking about it): either an automatic “yes” or an automatic “no.” I’m “yes” and that has caused me no end of trouble.

I really love the artwork on this this one. The dark background and striking colors make a beautiful contrast. That first line, “Before we ravel the tangle of…” is the first unexpected thing. My brain so wants to unravel. I got turned on my head right from the start!

Steve ahhaha I can’t help but wonder what event could have taken place to begin you here, to this library. I do get the feeling of you walking down each aisle with the books calling out to you. What an imagination you have haahah

Well, I’ve been in a lot of libraries in different countries: places like the 9-floor Stack at the University of Sydney, where you can read scientific journals back to around the turn of the last century. Not many people read those early publications now, so much is online, but scientists put their lives into that work. Thanks, Tamaya.

Your words wonderful, as always. But oh, I want to wade through your illustration. So cool (not the slang term, actually watery-cool as I slog along in the heat and humidity of Florida). Thanks for a lovely morning of thought, Steve!